Third Sunday After Pentecost
Anniversary SundayMorning Worship at 11 o’clock

Spring overall. But inside us there’s another unity.
Behind each eye here, one glowing water.
Every forest branch moves differently in the breeze,
but as they sway, they connect at the roots. – Rumi

The Church Gathers

Organ Prelude “In illo tempore” Gregorian Proper

Words of Welcome and Announcements John Strawbridge

† Choral Introit “Be Joyful in the Lord” Donald Moore

Be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands! Serve the Lord with gladness,
and come before His presence with a song. Amen.

† Call to Worship Dr. Emora Brannan

For everything there is a season, & a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, & a time to die;

a time to plant, & a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, & a time to heal; a time to break down & a time to build up;

a time to weep, & a time to laugh; a time to mourn, & a time to dance;

a time to cast away stones, & a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, & a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, & a time to lose; a time to keep, & a time to cast away;

a time to rend, & a time to sew; a time to keep silence, & a time to speak;

a time to love, & a time to hate; a time for war, & a time for peace.

God has made everything beautiful in its time.

Whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it,
nor anything taken from it. God has made it so.

† Hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” No. 140

1. Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father; there is no shadow of turning with thee; thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be. Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

3. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; all I have needed thy hand hath provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Morning Prayer

O God, searcher of all hearts, you have formed us and claimed us as your own. As we come to acknowledge your sovereignty and grace, reveal any reluctance and falsehood within us. Let your Spirit impress your truth on our inmost being, and receive us in mercy, through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. Amen.

To Hear the Word

From the Hebrew Scripture Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, 12-18 & 12: 9-14

Susan Allenback is the Liturgist.

The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.I said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.
For in much wisdom is much vexation,and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.
Besides being wise, the Teacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs. The Teacher sought to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly.
The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd. Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

New songs of joy, new hymns of praise, new melodies now sing!
Our festive anthems let us raise to Christ, our Lord and King.
With Him, as Head and Cornerstone, this temple firmly stands;
Wed dedicate before His throne the labors of our hands.We honor those who labored here to build this house of prayer:
The artisans with visions clear created all we we share.
They fashioned beauty out of steel; they sculptured wood and stone.
Like them, may be filled with zeal to make God’s glory known.O God of all creative art, Your goodness we proclaim;
Let choir and organ do their part to magnify Your name.
Together let us all rejoice with every living thing,
And join as one, in heart and voice this day as thanks we bring.

From the Gospel John 21:15-22

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!”

Sermon “Isn’t that right, Preacher?” Rev. Roberta Scoville

Wesleyan Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but yours.

Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by you or set aside for you,

exalted for you, or brought low by you.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things

to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

You are mine, and I am Yours. So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

To Respond in Faith

† Hymn “Where He Leads Me I Will Follow” No. 338

1. I can hear my Savior calling, I can hear my Savior calling, I can hear my Savior calling, “Take thy cross and follow, follow me.” Where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow; I’ll go with him, with him all the way.
2. I’ll go with him through the garden, I’ll go with him through the garden, I’ll go with him through the garden, I’ll go with him, with him all the way. Where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow; I’ll go with him, with him all the way.
3. I’ll go with him through the judgment, I’ll go with him through the judgment, I’ll go with him through the judgment, I’ll go with him, with him all the way. Where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow; I’ll go with him, with him all the way.
4. He will give me grace and glory, he will give me grace and glory, he will give me grace and glory, and go with me, with me all the way. Where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow, where he leads me I will follow; I’ll go with him, with him all the way.

The Collection of Tithes and Offerings

Offertory “The Lord Worketh Wonders” Handel

Tod Myers, Bass

The Lord worketh wonders,
His glory to raise.
And still as He thunders
Is fearful in praise.